


Wardrobe

by Druddigonite



Category: Pocket Monsters | Pokemon (Main Video Game Series), Pocket Monsters | Pokemon - All Media Types, Pocket Monsters: Sword & Shield | Pokemon Sword & Shield Versions
Genre: Also this is like 90 percent dialogue so I hope you're ready for some talking, Do you ever wonder if Bede's hot in that coat of his?, F/M, I Do, Minor Swearing, Pre-Relationship
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-01-02
Updated: 2020-01-02
Packaged: 2021-02-27 14:54:09
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,062
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22078786
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Druddigonite/pseuds/Druddigonite
Summary: “No offense, but,” Gloria says, tucking her sizzlipede into her beret, after she wiped the floor with Bede’s team, “Aren’t you hot? In that coat?”
Relationships: Beet | Bede/Yuuri | Gloria
Comments: 16
Kudos: 194





	Wardrobe

“No offense, but,” Gloria says, tucking her sizzlipede into her beret, after she wiped the floor with Bede’s team, “Aren’t you hot? In that coat?” 

Bede glares at her from behind his collar, which he’s pulled up to his eyes. He desperately wishes she could leave already, storm off like all the other challengers he’s battled, so he could slink off and soothe his smarting pride in peace. “I don’t know, aren’t you a bit nosy? For a farm girl?” 

“The weather report says it’s thirty-seven degrees in Motostoke right now,” Gloria pushes on, "And you're the only one wearing more than one layer of clothing."

She gives a vague wave at their surroundings for emphasis. Bede is stiffly making his way to the Mokostoke center to heal up his team and, for some ungodly reason, she's following despite him barely making a dent on her first pokemon. They weave through crowded city streets, everyone around them dressed in light summer wear. 

Bede fiddles with his sleeves, suddenly self-conscious. 

It’s true that the weather’s way too hot to wear a coat; Bede’s practically been baking inside this thing for the past couple of days, and he’s pretty sure he’s sweated his body weight during his stay in Motostoke alone. He’d give anything to throw it off, to introduce the breeze to his armpits for the first time in weeks, but…

“I can’t, you imbecile. I’m wearing my uniform under there.” 

The pokemon center air conditioning is a welcome reprieve from the heat. He struts up to the nurse and surrenders his pokeballs, trying to ignore the girl at his heels. _Please don’t get the wrong idea, everyone. I have no relation to this girl beside me._

Out of the corner of his eye he sees Gloria scrunch her face in the way she does whenever she doesn’t understand something, all wrinkled nose and squinty-eyed confusion. “Why are you wearing your challenger’s uniform? There’s a clothing store right next door.” 

He sighs. 

“Because I don’t recklessly splurge like you do,” he retorts. Ignoring her doesn’t seem to work, so he might as well offer up some answers. Hopefully she’ll bugger off once she gets what she wants from him. “Preparation for the gym challenge is quite important, especially if you’re aiming for champion. I’ll be using my savings sparingly, since I won’t have the opportunity to earn more for months.” 

“What are you talking about? I’m one of the least popular challengers, and I earn more in a single televised battle than my mum does in a month.”

Now it’s Bede’s turn to be confused. “Bullshit. I have three gym badges and I’ve never gotten paid in any of my matches. Where would you even get it?” 

“It’s split between you and your sponso—” Gloria’s eyes widen. “Bede. When did you last talk to Mr. Rose?” 

“Yesterday, actually.” Though only in passing; Rose hadn’t even bothered to acknowledge him. “He hasn’t mentioned anything about my battle earnings. But he’s a busy man, so it might not have crossed his schedule yet.” 

He’s always thought of Gloria as a passive, mild-mannered girl, if not a bit nagging at times, content to trail after the champion’s brother and vanish before the press starts rolling. But looking at her now, expression dark in what could only be described as a stormcloud over the horizon, he feels a shiver skitter down his spine. 

“I’ll need to talk to Leon about this. But first...” Gloria slings her massive backpack onto one of the waiting seats, rifling through it until she got what she wanted. “Take these spares I have.” 

A crumpled bundle of shirts and pants are shoved into his arms. 

“My league money’s in a bank account, which I’m not authorized to withdraw cash from because I’m a minor, so unless you’re okay with going shopping with me, I can’t help you.” A wad of cash is added to the pile. “But for what it’s worth, some people I battle on the road give me money. Use it to buy boxers, or deodorant, or something. You stink.” 

“Wait!” Bede protests, “I can’t wear these!” 

Gloria pauses, looks at him with eyes that are somehow able to predict a pokemon’s next move just by the shift of their stance, yet completely miss common social cues like the discomfort he’s giving off. “Yes you can. I always buy them a few sizes bigger, so I’m sure they’ll fit you”

“No, I-I—” She’s staring at him, and he blurts out, “I can’t wear this...crap from _you_. You’re running around in the wild area, sleeping on dirt or swimming in pond scum. Who knows where these things have been?” 

He realizes he’s saying the wrong things when Gloria’s hands curl into fists, almost imperceptibly. 

“Gloria…”

“Look. You’ve been throwing insults at me because you’re bitter you lost, and I’ve been letting you out of the kindness of my heart,” Gloria says tightly, “But this is _serious_. I can’t watch you wear the same set of clothes every day while your billionaire sponsor is hoarding all your earnings. So take. The. Stupid. Clothes.” 

“I’m not a charity case!” Bede sputters. 

“Bede.” He hates her, hates how nonchalantly she throws around his name, hates how it makes him feel (like she _understands_ ). “I’m not doing this because I pity you. I’m doing this because you’re my friend, and friends should help each other out.” 

Her face changes again and she’s smiling softly now, like the sun peeking out on a cloudy day. Sizzlipede trills from where it’s nestled under her beret. “So don’t sweat it, okay? I need to be going now, good luck on your challenge!” 

She runs out of the pokemon center quicker than his hatenna from strong emotions, leaving him standing like an idiot, shirts and pants slipping out of his arms. 

“Lover’s spat?” The nurse jokes as she hands him back his pokeballs. Bede looks at her strangely until he realizes what it would look like to bystanders, a girl angrily shoving piles of clothing into a guy. He flushes. 

“No! She’s just—” _You’re my friend, Bede._ “—a rival. Mind your own business.” 

“Yeaaaah, that’s what they always say,” one of the cashiers calls from the counter, and Bede decides it’s about time he left.

* * *

Later, in his hotel room, he tries the clothes on. 

They fit perfectly.

**Author's Note:**

> Happy new year!
> 
> [tumblr](https://druddigoon.tumblr.com/)


End file.
